Why aren't you talking to him?
by AmiliaPadfoot
Summary: Post-Hogwarts. It's dinnertime at Potter cottage and Ron Isn't talking to Harry. Listen to them as playful banter turns to the tail of a failed mission that will lead them who knows where...
1. Dinner time at Potter Cottage

**Why aren't you talking to him?**

**By: Amilia Padfoot**

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_Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters in this story just the idea for the story._

_A/N: For a RETURNING fanfic! Yay! Enjoy!_  
_Summary: Post-Hogwarts. It's dinner time at potter cottage and Ron isn't speaking to Harry._

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Dinner time at Potter Cottage was always a noisy occasion and today was in no way an acceptation. Indeed, with a few additional guests, the air was thick with the buzz of several people having different conversations at once. Harry and Hermione were deep in conversation about an arduous case Hermione was working on, while Ginny and Ron were in a heated debate over whom was better, the Holyhead Harpies or the Chudly Cannons. On the other end of the table James and Rose were having a staring competition over the last of the Roast potatoes. James, who had failed miserably, blamed his defeat on being distracted by Hugo and Lily, who were nattering loudly about all the pranks they were going to pull once they got to Hogwarts.

Ignoring his cousin's triumphant smirk he abandoned his attempt to rectify his defeat and turned to his younger brother, Albus, who was by far the quietest at the table, and managed to engage him in a talk of Quidditch. Ron, joining James in defeat, conceded that there was no point in arguing with Weasley women and decided to change the flow of conversation.

"Therefore with the Harpies track record compared to the Ca-"

"Pass me the gravy Ginny?" He asked hastily, abruptly cutting her off mid-lecture.

"What? Oh. I don't think I have it over here. Um, where's it got to?" Ginny peered around the table for the gravy picture finally spotting it "Harry has it, Ron." Ron looked over to where indeed Harry was putting the picture back on the table after using it. He seemed to hesitate for a second as if weighing up his options.

Coming to a decision he asked: "Hey, um, Hermione love, pass me the gravy?" He had to half-shout to be heard over the incoherent chatter. Both Harry and Hermione turned to look at Ron. They stared at him blankly for a second clearly wondering why he had asked Hermione when Harry was still holding the gravy boat, then Harry's face turned from confused to one of dawning realisation. He rolled his eyes at Ron before giving it to Hermione who in turn passed it to Ron and was obviously amused by the procedure. Ginny just shoot Ron a half-baffled-half-annoyed look.

Ron, oblivious to the fact that more people had now turned to stare at him, proceeded to pour a generous amount of gravy over his dinner only stopping when he finally noticed everyone but Harry and Hermione, who was once again engrossed in work discussions, looking at him.

"What?"

"Why didn't you ask Harry for the Gravy? He had it." Ron just shrugged but Ginny could tell there was something he wasn't saying. The kids, simultaneously deciding nothing interesting or amiss was going on turned back to their meals and previous discussions only to find themselves pausing their chatter a second later.

"Are you coming with me and 'Mione tomorrow, Ron?" Harry called across the table. The kids were once again going to continue as Ron opened his mouth to reply but changed their minds when they saw him close his mouth and turn back to his dinner as if Harry had never uttered a word.

_What was going on?, _they thought. Did Ron just _blank_ Harry? Ron never ignored Harry. The fact that this was indeed what Ron was doing was enough for them to forget their conversations in order to gape at Ron. It was as if Ginny had announced that the Cannons were by far the best team in the league or Hermione saying she'd never read again. It just didn't happen. James glancing quickly at his father, wondering apprehensively how he would react to Ron ignoring him, was shocked to see he was smiling. He had been expecting him to be affronted or angry or hurt, or at the very least annoyed, but this?

It was not so much that his father was smiling that shocked him, although it did, it was _how_ he was smiling. Was it his imagination or perhaps a trick of the light or did he look almost _mischievous_? He had a look of child-like innocence about him and yet a glint in his eye that told him he was up to something. It was a look he rarely saw in his Dad. He knew his Dad, when he was not working or in a serious mood, was both cheerful and fun-loving and he knew when he really felt like it he could prank like the best of them but it was a side that, to James sadness, never came out often.

He briefly remembered long ago witnessing an argument between his Mum and Dad. While Hugo and Rose's parents would constantly bicker, even affectionately, his parents never seemed to argue. Of course they had their disagreements but they rarely bickered or shouted at one another. Needless to say James had been shocked to find them that night, after coming down for a drink, doing just that. It had been even worse when he heard what the argument was about. His mum, fed up with the amounts of detentions he was receiving wanted to take away his privileges or issue some sort of discipline. He had been even more shocked when he had heard his father shouting back,

_"For crying out loud Ginny, he's a kid! So what if he gets into trouble once in a while. Okay, okay! A lot. He's just having fun. Something we never had! Can't you just lay of him a bit?"_ He had told Teddy, his in-every-way-but-blood big brother, what he had heard and asked him why his dad was so determined for him to have a childhood. Teddy had merely replied "Because he never had one James" and not for the first time he found himself wondering how different his father would be if he had not had to deal with Voldemort and have the weight of the Wizarding world on his shoulder throughout _his_ childhood as Harry slyly asked,

"Oh, so you're not coming then?"

Ron once again opened his mouth only to close it again. It was clear that he was battling with his burning curiosity and a determination not to answer.

"Okay, I'll tell Kingsley you're not coming then" Harry shrugged nonchalantly and was about to turn back to Hermione when Ron blurted out, his curiosity winning over his stubbornness.

"Not coming to what?" Harry looked at Ron 'innocently' and announced with air of someone being greatly surprised.

"Why, Ron. Did you just _speak _to me?" He turned to Hermione as if desperately seeking confirmation. "Is it me imagination or did he just speak to me, Hermione?" But before Hermione could confirm this Ron snapped,

"Oh shut up! _Where_ are you going tomorrow?"

"Tomorrow? I'm not going anywhere tomorrow. It's _Sunday_ tomorrow, Ron" He added the last in a manner that one would use to an address a small child.

"But you said-" Ron began impatiently but abruptly stopped when he realised what had just happened.

"Yes Ron?" Harry prompted all too sweetly. Everyone turned to look back at Ron as he simply glared at his best friend.

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**Old A/N He's not mad at Harry but there is a reason why he's not talking to him. Please review and tell me what you think! Criticism, suggestions, tips all welcome. I'm a newbie and eager to learn! If nobody is interested in this I will leave it like it is. Thankyou!**


	2. Why aren't you talking to Uncle Harry?

**A/N Thank you all to the people who read this and anyone who reviewed. This is dedicated to Raindrops3003 who is my constant encourager and close friend. Here is the continuation, whether people are interested or not!**

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_Everyone turned to look back at Ron as he simply glared at his best friend._

Ron just harrumphed, realising his glare was having no effect what so ever and turned back to his dinner, trying to one again ignore a now smirking Harry.

"Dad?" Hugo pied up suddenly.

"Yes, Hugo?"

"Why aren't you talking to Uncle Harry?" he asked in a voice that was epitome of child-like innocence. But before Ron could reply,

"Yeah, Ron, why aren't you talking Uncle Harry?" 'Uncle Harry' inquired, his voice uncannily like that of his nephews. Ron glared at him.

"You know why I don't want to talk to you!" There was a silence. Hermione coughed before hesitantly remarking: "Um, Ron, love, you-you just did." There were a few snickers around the table, and Ron, who was getting increasingly annoyed and flustered, snapped:

"I know that! It's the principle that I don't want to talk to him that matters."

"But _why _don't you want to talk to him?" This time, James chimed in, and Ron thought he might have heard a slight edge of annoyance in his nephew's voice at him not wanting to speak to his dad. Ron almost gave way to a smile at James's loyalty towards his dad, but remembering that he was supposed to be moody, quickly replaced it with a scowl. The task became easier as Harry lent closer to James and loudly whispered in what would have been a conspiratorial voice, "Because he's a g-"

"Harry" Ginning cut in a warningly, guessing what he was going to say. Harry shot her a cheeky grin, but didn't ignore her reprimand.

"-silly person" He amended. There was a pause, then:

"Silly...person?" Ron repeated slowly. He raised one eyebrow, as if to say 'That's the best you could come up with?"

"Yeah!" Harry retorted, half-heartedly trying to defend his insult. "You're a silly, silly person Ron" he added while shaking his head sadly.

"I am not a silly person! You-you time waster!" Ron retorted feebly. Harry looked affronted. By now, everyone knew that they were not really mad at each other, and this was merely playful banter, nothing new between the two firm friends but James would have sworn his saw his father's eyes darken a little. Was there more to what Ron said than just a lame comeback?

"I'm a time-waster? _I'm _a time-waster?" He asked dramatically, mock indignation dripping of every syllable. "I was trying to _save _time!" If James hadn't of noticed his father's eyes darken earlier he knew he would have missed the serious undertone the last sentiment had underneath the blanket of dramatics.

"Well you certainly succeeded didn't you?" Even the densest of people would not miss the sarcasm in Ron's retort.

"What are you two on about?" Ginny hastily interjected as Harry opened his mouth to argue back. James noted the slight concern in his mum's voice and concluded that he was not the only one who had realised that this playful argument between his father and uncle had become slightly darker. Ron started to answer his sister but was silenced when Harry glared at him.

"Nothing Gin. We're just messing" Harry answered for him. Ginny narrowed her eyes at him suspiciously. She ignored his remark and turned to Ron instead. "What did you mean by that?" Ron knew it would be stupid, bordering suicidal to tell her 'nothing' so he decide on a close truth.

"Yesterday on a mission we wasted a lot of time when it wasn't necessary-"

"Oh, and that was my fault was it?" Harry cut in, all playfulness completely forgotten; James wasn't the only one to notice the dangerous edge to his voice.

"I didn't say that. I just said it wasn't necessary" he replied with the air of someone choosing their words _very_ carefully.

"What happened?" Hermione asked before she could stop herself. It was not just her honed curiosity that forced her to ask but concern. Ron had never mentioned anything going wrong with the mission last night, In fact did he even mention it? She knew a lot about the missions Harry and Ron went on, as she _was _part of the Ministry and sometimes even worked alongside them; a fact that frustrated Ginny to no end. Because she did not work for the Ministry, let alone the department for Magical Law Enforcement, Harry was not allowed to tell his wife just about anything about his work.

Not that Ron divulged every detail of his missions with her but he would tell her the gist of them and she knew something must have happened if he had not mentioned it at all. The 'don't you dare answer that' looks Harry was sending Ron only served to confirm her suspicions.

"What happened?" she repeated. Ron and Harry looked at each other, communicating silently, an act they had perfected over the many years. They knew that she would not stop asking till she had an answer and to avoid the question would just make her more worried and curious, a combination that was a force to be reckoned with when felt by Hermione Weasley.

"Just as I said. A lot of time was wasted when it wasn't necessary" Ron repeated, hoping doubtfully that that would defuse Hermione's inquisitiveness and put her concerns at rest. He was right, to be doubtful.

"Why was it wasted?"

"And why are you blaming Harry?" Ginny jumped in, joining her friend in the interrogation.

"I'm not blaming him" Ron protested defiantly. Then after seeing the unbelieving stares around the table and even Harry raising his eyebrow at him he continued, "I'm not. I'm just put-out that we nearly didn't escape just because- ow!" Ron cried out suddenly as something, or rather, _someone _stepped down hard on his foot. He was about to shout 'what the hell was that for?', but the glare Harry was giving him stopped him in his tracks. The message 'shut up _now_!' was received loud and clear.

Everyone but Harry had jumped slightly at Ron's outburst, but none questioned it. It was crystal clear that Ron had said too much and Harry had, rather literally, stepped in.

"Did you say _escaped_?"  
Harry threw Ron a dirty look before answering, "Yes, he did. Now can we please talk about som-"

"Were you _captured_?" Hermione cut in, already guessing the answer. Harry sighed.

"Yes. Me, Ron and two other Aurors were. And _as you can see_ we are perfectly fine. So, can we _pleas_-"

"How did you escape?" Four people simultaneously jumped again at the sound of Lily's voice. The adults, not used to their children being so quite so long, had forgotten they were even there.  
Harry sighed again. _Why was everyone in his family so stubborn? _Ron met his eyes, _'They're not gonna stop asking' _they seemed to be telling him. Harry gave the slightest of nods.

"Well, the dark wizards who managed to capture us kept me and the two other guys in one ce-room-" Ron quickly changed cell to room, not wanting things to sound as bad as they were. Fortunately no-one, but Harry, seemed to notice the slip-up so he continued. "-and Harry in another".

"Why?" Albus interjected. _Man, these kids are inquisitive_, he thought.

"Because the dark wizards saw Harry as the biggest threat, and so wanted to keep him away from the rest of us. To make it harder to escape, see?" he answered patiently, glossing over the fact that it was more to do with the leader of this particular group of dark wizards, a death-eater sympathiser during the war, wanting to 'talk' to Harry personally.

Both Harry and his kids looked approving. His kids were proud that their dad was seen as such a threat to the enemy, and Harry was simply glad Ron had left out the finer details. He repressed a shudder as he recalled the 'happy' meeting with the dark leader and his wand.

"Anyway, quite a while later, some of the bast- I mean dark wizards, came into the ce-_room _I was in. They were wearing those stupid black robes with their hoods up so we couldn't see their faces, and they took us-" _forced us, more like_he thought. "-out of the room, probably taking us to go see the leader or summit. We were half-way down this corridor with two of them in front of us and three behind when the guy in front of me tripped over."

The kids shared a look at this. _**Tripped **__over? Some bad guys they are._" And so I fell on him and we all ended up in this pile on the floor and the next thing I know there's a wand in my hand and me and the guy's hands are free (they tied us up see?), and so I stunned the nearest criminal to me" Ron paused there. He had been warming greatly to the tale and had been talking with increasing enthusiasm, enjoying how his 'audience' were listening with rapt attention, but he had reached a part that bugged him and he felt a surge of guilt at how he had been towards Harry for the earlier part of the meal. He took a deep breath then continued.

"-and we had soon over powered them. They were so taken by surprise that they didn't even raise their wands in time." He couldn't help but grin at that. "Once we were free we knew we had to get out of there as soon as possible. But first we needed to find him over there" He jabbed a hand thumb in Harry's direction. Everyone smiled at that. It was easy with Harry sitting there at the table whole and healthy to not feel too concerned by this and to enjoy the tale. "So we ran down to where the rooms we were kept in. There was only two, so we knew which one he was in, but there was one problem, wasn't there?"

The smiles fell from peoples lips, momentarily forgetting Harry was, in fact, still alive and sitting with them. The kids felt a shiver down their spine as they realised more clearly than ever before the tale Ron was telling them was no tale, but something that actually happened to them. Even though they knew he was alive, they could not help being scared by the concept of what _had _happened to him.

"What is it?" Ginny asked, clearly fearing the answer.

"Well, there was a body on the floor-" Ginny's heart started to throb rapidly at that. She did not know what she would do if she lost Harry. He had always been such a constant in her life. From her child-hood crush on the-boy-who-lived to her everlasting love for her husband. He had always been so tangible, so pliable. Always there for her, picking her up when she was down, encouraging her, inspiring her, making her laugh. Loving her. The idea that he could be there no longer was so surreal to her. It scared her.

Her heart slowed to a quick cadence, not quite returning to the accustomed, as Harry grabbed her hand under the table and gave it a quick squeeze. She felt a warm tingle vibrate through her as he gave her a reassuring smile. Her feeble attempt to return the smile came out as more of a grimace though, but Harry seemed to understand. He always did after all.

"-but it wasn't Harry's" Everyone let out a breath they didn't quite know they were holding.

"What do you mean?" Ginny asked impatiently, not entirely caring whose it was. "Where was Harry?" The tension in the room mounted again as Ron didn't immediately reply, then a grin started to spread across his face.

"He'd only gone and already bloody escaped, hadn't he?" Harry couldn't help but smirk at that. Ron mock glared at him in annoyance, but everyone could tell he was proud of his friend. The kids looked at Harry with awed looks upon their faces, starting to grin too, all except for Rose, whose face looked more puzzled than anything.

"Hang on. If you had already escaped, then where you were when Dad escaped?" She questioned Harry. It seemed that she was not the only one who wanted an answer to this.

"He didn't escape. He was rescued" Harry replied, his smirk widening. Ron huffed at that, but didn't deny it. It was clear that nobody understood this, in till Hermione's face registered sudden understanding, then shock.

"You were there weren't you?" Harry nodded then added for the others benefit.

"I was one of the Dark Wizards escorting Ron and the other two. I had _borrowed _a robe while escaping and then just joined the other Dark wizards pulling Ron and that out of the room. They just thought I had come to help out and didn't really pay me much attention. I was behind them the whole time" he explained, slightly pleased with his deception.

"He had sent a tripping jink at the guy in front then as everyone fell forward he quickly vanished our binds..." Ron supplied, picking up the narrative. Harry had explained the whole thing to him when they had gotten back to the ministry. Ron had been put out ever since Harry told him he'd escaped before and rescued them all. He wasn't saying he wasn't grateful; in fact, he felt slightly ashamed that he _needed _rescuing and that he had led the other men back down to the cells to rescue his friend only to find he was already gone. Like he had said, a lot of unnecessary time had been wasted_. And all because of one mistake._

"...Stunned one of them and levitated his wand into Ron's hand" Harry finished.

"But-" began an even more puzzled Rose after awhile. "-why didn't you reveal yourself so then Dad wouldn't have had to go and rescue you when you didn't _need _rescuing? Is that why Dad's been so moody with you?" Harry didn't miss the accusation in her voice.

"Exactly" Ron exclaimed. He beamed at his daughter, glad that somebody understood why he had 'been so moody' as she had put it, with Harry.

"Well, I would have, Rose but-" he left the sentence hanging while looking pointedly at Ron, whose grin had fallen of his face. Everyone turned to look at Ron, who shot Harry an apologetic look before answering everyone's questioning looks.

"Umm, remember when I said I stunned the nearest criminal to me?" Several people nodded where Hermione slapped her palm against her forehead, guessing where this was leading.

"Well it- I kind of-"

"You stunned Harry didn't you?"

Ron looked sheepish, before nodding in confession. "Yes… yes I did."

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**Old A/N:****Please review! I'm seriously considering continuing this and will start work on chapter 3 as soon as possible. It would be nice to know what people think of this so far. I'm going to update at latest a chapter 3 if anyone is interested or not, because I'm just plain stubborn. I'd find it far easier to continue though if I knew people were actually interested in me persisting. Even if all you do is leaving a simple yes or no I would be really grateful. Critique as always welcome! -Ami**

**New A/N: Hey! I'm glad i'm slowly getting this back up. please tell me what you think of the lay out. Is it hard to read at all? let me know!**


	3. Starting from the beginning

**A/N Thank you again to all to the people who are reading this and anyone who reviewed! I don't want to write the flashback/writing set in the past written from a present perspective in italics so ill make it clear when the story goes back to them being at Potter cottage with Ron and Harry telling the rest what happened and so forth. Hope it's not too confusing.**

**Oh yea, this chapter is dedicated to SiriusBlack345 for the reviews and encouragement! Merci.**

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"_You stunned Harry, didn't you?" "Yes... yes I did"_

"Well, that was bad" James stated the obvious.

"No? Really?" Hugo retorted sarcastically, elbowing his cousin.

"Well, in my defence, I didn't know it was him, now did I?" Ron proclaimed.

"It's ok Ron, I forgive you" Harry said 'kindly', patting Ron on the shoulder whilst ignoring his 'I-want-to-hex-you-so-much-right-now' look.

"So then what happened?" James, interrupting their antics, asked a little too eagerly for his father's liking.

"Wait. Hang on!" Lily interrupted suddenly. "How did _you_escape, dad?" she asked turning to her dad.

"Yeah, and how did you get captured in the first place?" Rose added. Harry wanted to protest - this wasn't the sort of thing he wanted to discuss with his children - but he stopped himself, seeing that the other adults in the room were just as eager for him to answer. He sighed heavily, knowing defeat when he saw it.

"Perhaps we should start from the beginning…"

_The day before_

It was the crack of dawn, the sun just getting up and beginning to yawn. Its rays proceeded to chase away the shadows of the surrounding trees, the clearing in front of Harry becoming more visible in the dark as the light danced into his eyes. Morning had come at last.

"Harry, if we don't make it-"

"We'll make it"

"I know, but _if_we don't, I want you to know-"

"Don't say anything Ron, I already know"

"You don't understand Harry; I have to tell you this. I many not have time later-"

"You will"

"If anything goes wrong-"

"It won't"

"I want you to know-"

"Don't Ron"

"I _need _you to know-"

"Fine"

"I'm blaming you"

The two friends looked at each other for a second before bursting into laughter. It was brief moments like this that stopped the pressure and stress of work from crushing them. Their job was not like other jobs, jobs where you would stress over not handing a report in to your boss on time. Thought you may wake up in the middle of the night and wonder if you made a mistake in the third paragraph, when you were an Auror on a mission, if you made a mistake, you might not even wake up at all.

"What the hell are you two laughing at?" It was Thompson, a new recruit who had and annoying habit of saying exactly what he thought no matter who he was talking to. Although this tended to get him into a lot of trouble and the other Aurors were inclined to avoid him, he reminded Harry a little of a less dreamy-like Luna Lovegood and as a result he got on better with Thomson than anyone else in the team.

"Nothing lad. Anything happening your end?" Thomson grimaced at being called 'lad' but decided for once not to comment. It wasn't often that Matthew Thompson held his tongue for anyone, but he had come to deeply respect Harry, who had not shunned him for his sharp tongue, and for him alone he would hold it.

"Nothing's happened yet. Smith sent me over to see what was going on this end." He sounded a little irritated at being used as a 'scout' by Smith. Harry could not help but feel irritated at this too. Although Smith was pretty high ranking in the Auror department he did not like the pompous Auror giving _his _men orders, especially such tedious ones, but there was nothing much he could do about it. Smith was a lieutenant after all and so when on duty his men would have to obey him, unless of course he or Ron pulled rank on him. Thompson seemed to hover for a second, as if wondering if he should ask something or just leave.

"Are you sure were in the right place, sir?" he finally asked.

"Of course I'm sure" Harry sounded indignant that a member of his squad would have such little faith in him. Thompson smiled a little to show he meant nothing by it but merely seeking reassurance, for Harry could see that behind the newbie's laid-back and confident mien he looked a little uneasy. Harry couldn't really blame him though, for even thought Thompson had gone through two years of gruelling and intense Auror training he was out in the field now.

No matter how realistic the training missions were there would always be one huge difference. There was no longer a safety net for him. No 'try again tomorrow'. Everything did not just depend on how quick he was or how smart he was to pass the training. What mattered now would be that he was quick_er_ and smart_er_than that of the enemy. No training program could quite recreate the 'quiet before the storm' moment, the moment before you went into battle or carried out your plan.

Often, it was the worst for it was the moment of unbearable anticipation. The seconds would seem like hours and the doubts would start to infiltrate your mind. Was this the right place? Had he thought out the plan correctly? Had he forgotten something? What if the Dark wizards did not appear as he had been told they would? Were perhaps the rumours being whispered through the halls of the Ministry true? Was there really a...

**CRACK!**

Harry's train of thought was abruptly interrupted by the loud sound of several wizards apperating into the clearing in front of him, all wearing long black robes.

"Get back" he hissed at Thompson. He did not want his men being seen and scaring the dark wizards off. Thompson did as he was told, and when sure, they were completely covered by the surrounding bushes and plants, he turned his attention to the scene unfolding before him.

Five of them had created a lose ring around two darkly clad men, who stood a fair few paces away from each other. The men oozed importance in everything they did. The way they walked up to each other, how they shook hands firmly, how they held themselves. They either did not think they were being watched or they were just plain careless for their hoods were not up.

The man closest to Harry was at least a head shorter than the other and a little plumper around the middle. He had a long nose that appeared to stick up slightly as if there was a rather unpleasant smell under it. His blond locks and blue eyes that seemed to sparkle with greed only served to remind Harry even more of Smith. That was where the rebalance ended though. This man was defiantly taller than Smith and he had a more laid back posture than the lieutenant who walked as if he had a poker up his shirt.

The man on Harry's left was tall and lean, with cold brown eyes that seemed to dart from place to place, always alert. He had a head of black hair like his own in every sense except this man's hair seemed to have been planned with meticulous precision where as Harry's looked as if it had never met a comb in its life. His enemy's hair in fact seemed to echo the whole situation. The formation of the criminals, the way the centre figures were slowly taking out packages from their pockets and unhurriedly swapped them and most of all how they seemed to be taking their time as if they had plenty of it.

The whole possess seemed too precise, too easy. It was more like watching a play than an illegal meeting between gangs of Dark wizards operating in the area. The whole thing had the look of something being acted out. The meeting met all the stereotypical aspects of such a gathering. Something he had seen glimpses of in old Muggle gangster movies his cousin had been so fond of. Harry felt a familiar tingle in the back of his neck. It was a feeling he had felt many times before, and had come to trust. Something was not right.

He had experienced many ambushes as an Auror, and all of them had been over quicker than this. The Dark wizards should have attacked by now, not wanting to hang around, or more importantly he should have given the order to attack but the criminals were evidently waiting for something and so now it seemed he was too.

It was not just curiosity that was holding him back, but a hesitance he had not felt in a while- especially not on missions. Normally he liked to get in, do the job well and get out again, though he also erred on the edge of caution. He would never fling his men into battle if he did not know for certain that most of them, if not all of them, would survive and it was this caution fueled by the nagging feeling that told him something was defiantly not right, that held him back. The seconds dragged by as the sensation grew in him, starting to burn like his scar had once done to warn him of the presence of Voldemort. Danger was close.

"Shouldn't we attack?" Ron prompted - although calm, Harry could sense his impatience.

"Something's not right, Ron"

"What do you mean?" Ron had witnessed on far too many occasions just how scarily accurate Harry's instincts are and he could not help the worry creeping into his voice. They were legendary in the department and he would not dream of questioning the instinct. He was merely asking Harry to elaborate what was wrong. Harry just shook his head as if trying to clear his mind. Then his eyes widened as it hit him.

"They're waiting for something-" Ron looked over to the clearing, where the deal was obviously over, and yet the Dark wizards were still there. He hated to admit it, but Harry was right. A second ago he might not have noticed, but now he started to mark all the small things. Like how some of the wizards were shuffling their feet impatiently, or how they kept glancing at each over and into the bushes where he knew more men were hiding, waiting for Harry's signal to attack as planned. It was if they were slowly dropping all pretences, and when one of them actually took out a golden pocket watch to check the time, he knew beyond a doubt what was going on.

"Their waiting for _us_" Ron exclaimed, finally reaching the same conclusion as Harry "They knew we were going to attack today."

"Just like we knew they were going to be here today" Harry added. It was a trap, and they had to get out of here, fast. They had not attacked as the enemy had obviously wanted. They could still leave, the squad whole, and he could tell Kingsley for certain there was a traitor in the Ministries mists or at least they had a false source of information, but he doubted that.

Harry was about to send his patronus to tell the others to abort the mission and get back to the Ministry when he heard a cough. He spun round and to his horror he saw four men behind them. One of them holding a wide-eyed Thompson in a tight embrace, a wand pointed at his throat.

_Oh, this was not good. Really not good._

"Put down your wands." the man holding Thompson demanded. He was built like a brick wall and Harry had to look up to meet his eye.

"Not bloody likely" Ron exclaimed fiercely.

"Let him go" Harry demanded with as much authority as he could muster, which seemed to be quite a bit for the big man appeared to loosen his grip a little but tightened it again when,

"Well, well, well, if it isn't Harry Potter" A drawling voice had appeared from the shadows, its owner thanking a steep forward into the light a moment later, a sneer on his face. "Put your wand down, Potter. The ambushers have been ambushed." Harry could not deny this. They were surrounded, blocked on both sides with the four burly men in front of him and it would be suicide to run into the clearing where the 'deal' had taken place but he refused to back down. Surrender had never been part of his vocabulary.

"Yes it is. Now perhaps you could tell your _colleague _here to let go of mine._" _he deliberately ignored everything else this man who was obviously in charge of the little, (in number if not size), group had said. The man merely looked amused at the suggestion.

"I think not. Now put down your wands or we'll kill him." When neither Ron nor Harry moved, he turned to the first man and nodded.

"No!" Harry shouted as the criminal drew back his wand; the sudden and powerful vociferation surprised the man so much that he paused mid movement. Thompson used the second hesitance to move quickly out of the man's grasp. He twisted away only to be hit by a stunner to the chest. There were suddenly curses and hexes flying in every direction. Harry and Ron, having the advantage of being far quicker that the slow moving heavy-set men, easily dodging the curses being sent their way, retaliating with well aimed curses and honed fighting skills. Even with two to one odds, soon two of the criminals were unconscious; the one who had nearly killed Thomson being the first to fall, and the other two had been injured at least once.

Harry hit the ground hard to avoid a killing curse.

"You idiot. He wants Potter alive." He heard the leader's muffled shout and Harry felt a malicious pleasure that the drawling man now seemed panicked. From the ground Harry sent a curse at him who was now aiming at Ron, who was fiercely attacking and counter-attacking the remanding wizard, obviously enraged that he would even dare try to kill his mate. The curse hit him in the leg and he doubled over in pain as Harry picked himself up and walked over to the leader, his calm stride mocking the Dark wizard. He held his wand level with the man's heart.

"Who told you we were going to attack today - in fact, who planned this whole damn thing?"

"I'm not telling you anything!"

Harry flicked his wand at the criminal, causing him to roll over on to his back. He crouched down, leaned over the muscle-bound man and looked him straight in the eye.

"You will." His voice was soft and dangerous. A flicker of fear ran through the Dark wizards eyes. "I know we were set up today. You wanted us to attack you, didn't you?" Harry's voice was barely a whisper, but it carried clearly and the effect was the same as if he had shouted.

"…Yes."

"Instead of us taking you by surprise, you would have taken us by surprise" Harry mused, talking to himself more than to the man on the floor, but he nodded anyway. He was about to ask who had told them their plans of attack and where exactly he had been hiding, but he was interrupted by a shout from Ron. He quickly got up, and for the second time that day, he realized he had been surrounded.

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**Please review! For the same reason I have been begging for in the previous chapters. Do you like? Should I continue? Fave bits? Anything? Criticism welcome.**


	4. In the cells

**A/N Yay! Fourth chapter! Thank you to anyone who's reading this and yes, I am going to say this every chapter because I really do appreciate it. I'm still writing the past in a present perspective though the perspective may change from Ron to Harry and vice versa sometimes. Tell me if it's too confusing!**

**Dedicated to Sophie, who will never know...**

* * *

_For the second time that day, he realised he had been surrounded._

"Weasley! Weasley! Wake up!" Ron was shaking, the world spinning round him. "Wake up!" Someone was pulling him up, a vaguely familiar voice dragging him into consciousness. He was now kneeling on the filthy floor, the cold stone chilling his hands.

"Where am I?" His voice sounded distant, even to him.

"We were captured" The past events came crashing down on Ron in that instant. He remembered Thompson twisting away, only to be stunned instantly. He had automatically retaliated and the fight had broken out. Harry had gone after the man who had tried to kill Thompson and was out of his sight. He had to admit it; Harry seemed strangely fond of the new recruit. He had been easily winning his duel, until he had been hit from behind. After that everything had gone black. He suddenly recalled being furious. More than he usually was in a fight anyway. How dare that bastard try and kill Harry? _Harry! _Oh god, Harry! He needed to find him! He had avoided the curse hadn't he?

"He's not here sir" Ron, not aware that he asked aloud, turned for the first time to the man who was holding him up. It was Thompson. Thank god the lad was alright. Relief soon turned to panic as he comprehended Thompson's comment.

"What do you mean _not here_? Where is he? Tell me lad! Tell me!" Thompson looked slightly alarmed at his captain's unnaturally panicked domineer.

"They took him" another voice came from the far corner of the cell. Ron had to squint a little to make the man out. His head was still spinning. His shoulder throbbed painfully from where he'd been flung unceremoniously on the hard floor. He pushed away the pain forcing himself to concentrate on this man that definitely looked familiar. He gripped hold of Thompson and dragged himself up into a standing position, his heart beating wildly in his chest.

"What do you mean _took him_? When? Who?" He demanded, struggling to keep the panic out of his voice. This was not happening. It couldn't be. It was supposed to be a simple ambush for crying out loud! They were supposed to capture the dark wizards not the other way round. In the end it hadn't even mattered that Harry had figured it out so quickly. They'd been captured anyway. '_What had happened to the rest of the squad?'_He wondered. Surely the whole squad hadn't been captured? First thing was first, though - he needed to know his best friend was alright.

"Just now. You and Thompson here were unconscious. They just dumped you here and pushed me and the Head in behind ya. That was what, ten minutes ago?" He elaborated bitterly, not really expecting to be answered.

"I just woke up a couple of minutes ago" Thompson informed Ron, shrugging. "Potter was still trying to wake you up when three of the buggers came in and dragged him out before we could say 'Quidditch'". He seemed saddened that he had not been able to help his commander and was angered at his treatment. The man in the corner, on the other hand, was starting to grin, which annoyed Ron. How could he grin at a time like this?

"Not that he needed much help. Put up a right fight he did" He added the last at Ron's questioning look. As if on cue, several shouts were heard from outside the cramped cell.

"Let go of me you bastards!" Ron felt relief flood him as he listened to Harry's profound and fluent cursing. By the sounds of it he was still putting up '_a right fight_' alright. Harry's perpetual shouting was suddenly muffled, and then came a cry of pain. Ron felt stab of fear at the lamination, before he heard an incredulous cry of, "He bit me!"

"Oh, for crying out loud! Someone stun him already" Came an impatient retort.

There were several cries of "Stupefy!" and Ron felt the sudden urge to bang the door open and strangle who ever had shouted the curse as a vision of Harry's body, shuddering and falling to the floor as it absorbed the force of several stunners, pushed its way into Ron's mind. But he knew there was nothing he could do. To shout would be a waste of breath, to bang on the obviously locked door, a waste of strength. He felt burning rage course through him as he heard the triumphant cheers.

"Quiet! Get him in the cell. You there! Tell the commander the prisoners are all locked up." Ron recognised the man issuing orders as the man who had given the order to kill Thompson back in the clearing. This was easily confirmed by the way Thompson was un-clenching and re-clenching his fists as if he too would like nothing more than to bang the door open and beat the criminal senseless. There was a sound of scuffling feet and people marching away into the distance, leaving an eerie silence to settle over the cell.

Ron wanted to slum against the wall, to collapse, to just give in to the tiredness that threatened to overwhelm him, but he knew he couldn't. He needed to stay alert. The other two men in the cell with him were looking at him expectantly; ready to take their cues from him.

"How the hell did we get into this mess?"

* * *

"Ron! Wake up! Wake up mate! Come on, wake up, you fat lump!"

"I'm sure he's going to be okay" McDonald reassured him.

"How's Thompson doing?"

"I think he's waking up, sir," Indeed, Thompson was beginning to stir.

"Where am I?" he groaned.

"We were captured, lad. Come on now, get up, we need to stay alert"

"Yes sir" Harry just turned back to Ron's limp form, giving him another shake. When he didn't stir, he turned to McDonald.

"Were any of the other lads captured?"

"No sir. We were waiting for your orders to attack, but they never came" He said as respectfully as he could but Harry did not miss the accusation in his voice.

"They were waiting for us to attack." McDonald's eyes widened at that.

"It was a trap" he breathed. Harry merely nodded. "Good job we didn't attack then"

"We still got captured" Thompson muttered, trying to get to his feet.

"Only us though. They must have given up waiting because they started apperating away when I went to find you." Harry looked up at that. He wouldn't have seen that as he was busy with the being surrounded the first time. Some of the wizards who hadn't apperated away yet had probably heard the noise of the fight and came up behind them. Why weren't the four with the rest of the criminals in the clearing though? How had they known they were there? It seemed to Harry that their hiding spot had been targeted specifically.

But before he could ponder this anymore the cell door was flung open with such a force that the room shook. Three huge men, all clad in their dark Wizarding robes, pushed their way into the room and grabbed Harry.

"Let go of him!" Thompson shouted just like Harry had done for him. He was on his feet now. One of the men turned on him but was distracted by a yowl from his college. Harry had kneed the man as hard as he could, causing him to kneel over clutching himself. The third man grabbed Harry from behind, pinning his arms down. He dragged Harry callously out the door, Harry struggling all the while. The other two followed him, one wincing a little, slammed the door behind them and with a flick of a wand the door was bolted, locked and sealed.

The third man continued to drag Harry up the corridor, grunting at the effort it took to restrain him.

"A little help here!" he snarled at his companions. One of them raised their wands but before he could utter a word there was a frustrated shout of,

"You can't take him up here!" Harry recognised the voice from somewhere.

"But I thought the commander wanted to see him" The one with his wand raised protested.

"And he does. Just put him in a cell. The commander will _chat_to him later" The goons holding Harry smirked at the choice of words. The hungry looks they were shooting Harry were not encouraging.

"Do you think we'll get to watch?" The one on Harry's left whispered excitedly.

"They better." The one his right replied, grinning wolfishly. Harry didn't like the sound of this at all. He had to get out of here. He began to struggle even harder as they dragged him back down the corridor. When they reached outside the cell he had been previously Harry remembered with a jolt that Ron was in there. Was he still unconscious? Would he see him awake ever again? This horrible thought gave him a new determination.

He put his entire wait back onto the man dragging him and he lifted himself up, bending his knees and he swiftly kicked the guard in front of him in the stomach. He watched with satisfaction as he groaned in pain and doubled over. He started to twist this way and that, trying to through of the man's powerful grip and kicking out at anyone who dared get near him.

"Let go of me, you bastards!" he roared as he they clawed at him, trying to hold him down. He swore at them and screamed blue murder until the goon behind him put his hand over his mouth, trying to shut him up. Harry bit down hard, tasting blood in his mouth. He barely heard the cry of pain as he finally twisted away from the huge man's grip.

"He bit me!"

"Oh, for crying out loud! Someone stun him already!" Harry's eyes darted around, desperately trying to find an escape, but it was no use. Three simultaneous curses hit him full in the chest, arms out stretched, his body shuddering as each curse hit him before he sank to his knees and collapsed in a heap on the floor.

* * *

"Potter told me the whole thing was a trap"

"He didn't lie"

"He never said he did" Thompson snapped. He had been pacing up and down furiously as McDonald had explained to Ron in more detail what had happened in the cell before he had woken. Ron ignored him.

"So the whole squad wasn't taken, Just me you, him over there and Harry?" Ron asked, as if trying to collect all the pieces to one messed up jigsaw puzzle.

"I had been sent to find Potter when the dark wizards had started to disapparate away. I saw a group of them go into the bushes though and I gathered you had gotten into some sort of trouble and decided to help out" Ron nodded his appreciation but didn't say anything.

"How did they know we were there?" Thompson spun round furiously, stopping mid-pace.

"They heard us fighting, obviously" Ron was starting to get annoyed with the new recruit. Why Harry liked him he had no idea.

"No. No. I meant how did the first lot know we were positioned there in the first place?" He asked impatiently.

"Lucky guess" Ron shrugged though it was evident he didn't believe it.

"You weren't stationed there anyway Thompson. Only Potter an-" but he cut himself off abruptly. "Of course. _Potter_"

"What about him?" Thompson asked.

"Potter, and you sir- " he waved a hand at Ron "-Really nice prizes, don't you think?" Ron thought he may have detected a slight bitterness to his voice.

"So their hiding place was targeted specifically then?" Thompson asked, seeking confirmation. McDonald Nodded.

Ron had to agree with him. If not the whole squad then they could at least take the leaders. Though Ron could not help but think they had still gotten what they really wanted, as his mind drifted to Harry. _What were they doing to him? Would they just leave him in his cell like they had done to them? _Somehow he didn't think so. They had taken him for a reason.

"Doesn't explain how they knew you were there though" Thompson grumbled.

Ron thought back to when he and Harry had figured out what was going on. What had he said? _They knew we were going to attack today._Had the same source told the criminals where he and Harry were positioned? Ron shuddered at the thought of working so close to someone who was betraying them the whole time. He trusted the team and yet one among them was not trustworthy. He had heard the rumours circulating the Ministry, spreading like a disease, but he had paid it no heed. If he listened to every rumour that came along he would trust no-one and suspect everyone.

The seconds dragged by as Ron slid down the wall. He was beginning to surrender to sleep yet he was still alert, ready to jump up if he heard anyone approach the cell. He closed his eyes, his ears straining to hear even the littlest of sounds. The silence was deafening, broken only by their systematic breathing; a constant reminder that they were alive.

And yet Ron wanted to hear more. He _needed _to hear more. Even if it was Harry once again shouting and cursing outside the cell door, _anything._He needed the reminder, proof that his friend too was alive. It was then that the silence was broken and as the three prisoners jumped as one, he wished he had never wanted nor hoped for such a thing. The silence was by far better.

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**Old A/N Please review! How did you like it? Interesting? Critique welcome! Fave bits? It took me 2 days to write, (probably more) it'll take you 2 seconds to review. Anything appreciated. I have a bag of marshmallows waiting for any flames, so go ahead, be honest! –AMI**

**New A/N man I'm so sorry this is going so slow :-( hopefully a new chap will be up next time, whenever that is. Thanks for your patience :-) **

**New, New A/N: soon soon soon... **


	5. Commander Lexson

**_A/N _Well it's officially Wednesday, well where I am it's like 12:01, so here is the fifth chapter! I can't believe I haven't updated in so long! *wince* Hopefully I've made up for it with my One-shots and Birthdays etc. Yep that's right my only defence is that I haven't stopped writing entirely. Don't hurt me! *hides behind table* **

**A big- no make that HUGE- thanks to anyone who reviewed, faved, alerted and/or refrained from yelling at me.**

**I have been a bit stuck on the next chap towards the end so thank you to Winged-quill for the review. I was half asleep when I checked my phone and all I saw was MOOOOOOOOOOOOOORE! So I got up, read it and thought 'man I should be writing', so thanks reviewers for getting me of my butt. And also Drammy for knocking some bloody sense into me and having me send this to her at long last. (Been doubting my self) Without her it would probably be another month before this was up. (*Drammy: No probs, Ami x*)**

**This is dedicated to my very supportive brother who may actually be arsed enough to read this one day.**

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_The silence was better by far._

"_Rennervate!_" Harry gasped, breaking the surface of the unconsciousness he'd been submerged under. He took in deep sharp breaths, his lungs caressing the air they had once been deprived. He felt a strong hand grab his robes and haul him up into a kneeling position.

"Enjoy your rest Potter?" Harry looked up at the voice. Towering over him was the tall man with the annoyingly neat hair from back in the clearing. Harry looked into the cool brown eyes of his enemy. They portrayed no emotion; his face was a mask, his voice monotonous. "Do you know who I am?"

"I know _what_ you are" Harry spat, and then yelped as an unexpected hand tangled itself in his hair and yanked his head back.

"Tusk tusk, no respect for you superiors. I am Commander Lexson, I suppose you would have heard of me" Of course Harry had heard of him, there was not a decent Auror around that had not heard of Commander Lexson. Though few had met him, and those who had never lived long enough to tell the tale, he had a reputation that followed him everywhere, leaving death and destruction in his wake.

Once he realised Harry was not going to respond, he continued in his pompous manner. "I have certainly heard of you. The great Harry Potter, defeater of the Dark lord." Lexson crouched level with Harry, his mocking eyes meeting his opponent. Harry repressed a shudder as Lexson's eyes peered into his as if searching for something within his very soul. His gaze flickered upwards to the lightning scar on his forehead. "And one still wonders-" Lexson continued, moving to place a finger upon the scar.

Harry tried to jerk away but the hand entangled in his hair held fast. The finger traced down the scar, sending chills down his spine. "-how you defeated such a powerful wizard, such a great man"

"Voldemort was nothing but a murderer" He exclaimed venomously. Lexson merely chuckled darkly before straightening up.

"But no matter. He is gone and we- _we_ - are here" He spread his arms out and gestured round the cell. "And _you_ are at my feet. Where you belong" Lexson's mouth curled in to an unpleasant smile, clearly enjoying himself. Harry met his gaze steadily, refusing to show any sign of weakness. However, the eye contact was abruptly broken by a hesitant yet firm knock on the cell door.

"See who it is" Lexicon ordered not even bothering to look at the goon that had been standing to attention by the door. With a thump and a click the door was opened a crack. A moment later the cell was locked again and another goon apprehensively approached his leader and whispered in his ear. Harry listened intently, catching snatches,

"Search party...direction...wishes to... also last lead gone..." At the last Lexson's face seemed to contort with rage and the goon hurried on his voice raising a little in panic, "...but he gives us confirmation" Lexson's face settled back into its expressionless mask, a small smirk playing on his thin lips.

"And the mark? Does he still breathe?"

"I have his wand here sir," And indeed the goon retrieved a faded and battered looking wand from his pocket and held it out to his master as though presenting a sword. Harry closed his eyes knowing this goon was presenting proof, a token of a job done as was tradition with most assassins and he wondered what the poor soul had done to become a 'mark' of Lexson's.

"Good, good!" Lexson remarked, as though praising the thug's homework, and pocketed the wand carelessly. "The mark may not have given us any information worth merit, let alone what I truly desire, but no matter - he is out of my way, and I'm sure Potter here will be more than willing to help us. Tell him his brother will meet with him as per arranged for an update" The goon nodded obediently and left the cell, casting a longing look over his shoulder as though he had been asked to leave a theatre only a quarter way through its performance.

"Tell me Potter, do you wish to die?-" Lexson did not wait for an answer, but merely continued as if Harry had replied with a confident and scandalised 'no'. "Then I suggest you make this easy for yourself. You tell me what I want to know and I just might - _might -_ let you live"

Harry snorted dryly, "Do you think I'm that stupid? If I did tell you what you want to know, how do I know you won't just kill me anyway?"

"You don't." Lexson paused, letting the harsh words settle in the room. "But if you don't tell me what I want to know-" He dropped his voice to a deadly whisper;"_-you're going to wish I would._" Harry felt the hand in his hair tug once more and it took all his self control not to react to the menacing words.

"Let my men go" Harry could see a look of surprise on his enemies face at the sudden demand, that soon melded into one of annoyance; his cold eyes bored into him mockingly.

"You are in no position to make demands Potter" he sneered.

"I may be more willing to help you" he could not keep the hope out of his voice. He knew it was a lost cause but he felt he had to try. If Lexson truly thought he would be willing to help him (which he wasn't in the slightest) he could at least try to get something out of it. He knew with the bad blood between him and Lexson he would be lucky to make it out of here alive. It was well know that Voldemort had been an idol of his, why would he let the chance to kill the man who had been said idol's undoing pass?

He pushed away the agonising thoughts of never seeing Ginny and his children again, knowing he needed to stay focused. Though one thing stayed clear in his mind, that if he could stop his kids losing an uncle as well as a father, he would do what he could. Lexson just laughed as though he had been told a rather amusing joke.

"You are not as stupid as I thought. I admit I have no real need for them." He waved his hand nonchalantly as if the people in question were merely dust to be brushed off his shoulder. "I'll question them, of course, but I doubt no information I don't already have access to will be revelled. I am a very resourceful man, Mr Potter. But yet I am afraid you possess a rather unique piece of information that only you and you alone can divulge."

And it suddenly clicked into place. He'd had a hunch, of course - it had been a risk he had been aware of long before he even started making the final arrangements a month ago. One he had thought about - dwelt on, even - but never really thought would come to pass. So few people knew, so many of them he trusted deeply, Ron being among them, Kingsley another, both unlikely to ever tell anyone. But there must have been another. He knew beyond doubt that there was a traitor who had sold them out, sold _him_ out and now he knew why. He could speculate how easily enough. The only question now was, _who_?

"However, why just let them go? I'm sure I'll find adequate use for them - or perhaps I will just let them rot", Lexson continued savagely, unaware of Harry's revelations. "You, _however,_ have a chance to satisfy my curiosity, and I tell you now I reward co-operation"

"How pleasant of you" Harry drawled, earning a yank from behind for his trouble.

"Tell me Potter, where is Melina Stuart?"

"Who?" Harry arranged his face into one of polite curiosity.

"Don't play dumb with me Potter!" Lexson snapped all composure lost in an instant, "Not only do I know the area in which she is situated, I also know that you are her secret keeper! I have spies everywhere Potter, one who has reported seeing you in the very area. Coincidence, was it? I think not! Perhaps you can tell me what was so urgent to speak with her to risk exposure?"

"It was her birthday. I had baked her a cake" Lexson's face twisted with fury at the flippant retort and Harry fell to the side as a fist connected with face. He felt the hand in his hair release as Lexson grabbed him by the robes and the goon stepped swiftly aside as Lexson hauled him up and flung him against the hard wall, face first.

"Don't play games with me!" he spat, spinning Harry around to face him. Gripping the robes with his left hand, his right reached up to clamped itself around Harry's throat, his thumb pressing down hard on his wind pipe. "You will tell me her location! I don't care how long it takes, or what I have to do to get it out of you but you... _will_... tell me!" he roared, a demonic glint in his eyes, narrowed like slits. He exaggerated the 'will' with a vicious press on Harry's throat, making Harry gag on his own breath. "You will!"

Lexson gave a final squeeze and Harry gasped for breath once released. Lexicon pulled his robes together into a dignified position and took a deep breath before regaining his calm composure.

"So where is she?" he asked once more, as if simply asking for directions from a fellow pedestrian.

"I'm not telling you _anything_. You know how the Fildus charm works. I can only tell you willingly" He saw no point in pretending he wasn't the secret keeper. He could, of course, claim that he had been told the location by the secret keeper and so not be able to speak the name, but he knew it would be pointless. Lexson was obviously well informed and the last thing he needed to do right now was underestimate his opponent.

"Oh, you will tell me" Lexicon chuckled softly, the calm in his eyes far more potent that his enraged outburst. "You _will_ tell me." Harry mentally steeled himself for what was to come as Lexicon paced back from him and withdrew his wand.

"_Crucio_!"

* * *

The short sharp scream was cut off as soon as it had started. The three men exchanged glances, but no words were necessary. Ron let out a gusty breath he had been unaware of holding and tried not to clutch his heart, worried that it had stopped beating. A shiver racked his spine as if someone was running an ice cube along it and he bit down on his lip, trying not to scream himself.

"What do you think they're doing to him?" Thompson blurted out in a scarce whisper; horror shining in is baby blue eyes. Ron glared at him. He didn't want to _think_ about it, let alone _talk_ about it.

"Isn't it obvious?" McDonald spat, oblivious to Ron's now bleeding lip. A silence settled over the cell once more, Ron wishing for once that that it would stay that way. His friend's scream had cut through him like the sharp edge of a sword.

"Do you think they'll come for us?" Thompson piped up again and Ron _just_ resisted the urge to strangle him. Couldn't he just shut up? McDonald just shrugged.

"Are they going to torture us too?"

"Shut up! Just shut up, for once in your miserable life!" Ron roared, unable to take it anymore. He had shot up, breathing heavily, images of his best friend being tortured assaulting his brain. Thompson looked reproachful for a second but decided for once to heed his Captain's words. Ron took a deep breath and sunk back down again;

He knew he should be thinking about forming a way out, but he couldn't think straight. His brain seemed to be jammed like an old Muggle record player, repeating a single scream over and over again. He knew that if Harry had also been in the cell, they would be bouncing ideas of each other, taking it in turns to reassure the other recruits. He could practically visualize Harry pacing up and down in front of him, running a hand through his un-tameable hair, his eyes lighting up at a sudden idea. But Harry _wasn't_ here, he was in another cell having Merlin-knows-what done to him and he couldn't think of anything else, no matter how hard he tried. Ron had a vague idea of what his friend was doubtlessly being questioned about. What he wanted to know was who would sell him out like that? When he got his hands on whomever it was he vowed to make them pay for every ounce of pain his brother-in-law was being made to feel.

Ron knew they must have been in the cell for hours but it had seemed like years when the screaming started up again. This time lasting longer, more anguished, but cut off just as abruptly. The mercifully short yet sharp bursts were sporadic and yet becoming a constant as the hours snailed by. Ron had his knees pulled tightly to his chest, his hands clapped over his ears, no longer caring whether he looked vulnerable or not. He was slowly going mad; even when the scream stopped it would play itself over and over in his mind, consuming him. For a second he was quite sure he was trapped inside Malfoy Manner once more.

A dam of water was building up in his eyes and yet he refused to let it break. He rocked back and forth. '_Stop it! Stop it!_' he screamed in his head. '_Take me instead_'. His mouth was dry and the words would not form. What good would it do anyway? He would not show it but he was sobbing inside, '_Take me instead'_

A slamming of a door punctuated the latest silence in the cell and Ron tried not to get his hopes up, praying hard that Harry was being left alone at last.

* * *

Harry lay on the cold stone floor, going limp after the last Crucio had been lifted. He'd barely heard Lexson's outraged cries and demands that he tell Melinda's Location, nor the slamming of the cell door as his mind filled with blissful numbness, two bound hands clutching an old and battered wand.

* * *

"I can't believe someone sold you out like that!" James cried, disgust etched across his face. He had always valued loyalty greatly.

"Do you know who it is now?" Albus inquired hopefully from his mother's side. He had dearly wanted to grasp onto his father but had to content himself with frequent glances, to make sure he had indeed gotten out of that hell whole alive, as his dad was occupied with Lily who was curled up on his lap. Beside him was James, looking furious, and on the other side, Ron, waiting patiently to pick up the tail once more. Ron had Hugo snuggled up in his lap, Rose clutching his arm beside him.

"Well, we have a hunch" Harry answered wryly. It was clear that he was reluctant in talking about the failed mission and Albus couldn't blame him. He wasn't daft; he knew they were holding out on most the detail. He shuddered to imagine exactly what happened between this so called 'Mr Lexson' and his father.

His dad had only briefly mentioned the 'questioning', which went without saying had been far from friendly. Ron had confessed to what he had been thinking while alone in his 'room' with Thompson and McDonald (Albus wasn't that naïve) and caught up in the narrative he had told of how he had heard his dad scream to which he had instantly regretted as Harry blanched and Lily had launched herself upon him, beating James and Albus to it.

Ron had apologised quickly, but Harry had been too busy calming Lily to hear him. He had reassured them several times that he was fine, that he had been healed at the Ministry and was very much alive. It had been a while before they had settled down in their new positions and James had tried to draw the conversation away from the unpleasant topic.

Ron snorted loudly. "We have more than a hunch. Trouble is, we don't have any solid evidence as of yet, but we'll get him, don't you worry about that." Ron shot a glance at Harry, who was stroking lily's hair absent-mindedly. James caught the glance and knew his uncle was going to make him pay, not for what happened to him but what he had caused his friend to go through. He couldn't imagine what it was like seeing the traitor every day at work and not be able to stop him, knowing what he had done.

How could they continue to work with him and not try to kill him? His uncle in particular must have a lot of self control, he mused. He briefly felt sorry for the guy if he ever met his uncle in a dark alley way but soon found himself fantasising with the idea. Right now he hated whoever it was almost as much as Lexson for hurting his father. He felt a burning rage coursing through him, the roaring monster inside him that was howling for their demise, only calming when he felt his dad's hand take his under the table.

"Why did they want you to tell them where Malinda is?" Lily asked, her voice muffled as it was still buried in her dad's tear sodden shirt.

"I can't tell you that, love." He told her gently. Lily nodded, understanding that enough people had gotten into danger over the secret. "I'm not her secret keeper anymore though, for obvious reasons, and of course, we let our little fiend know that-" Harry smirked a little and Rose shared the smirk figuring that they would be feeding a lot of 'information' through the traitor. Perhaps _some_ good would come out of it.

Hermione, however, was seething – 'Yes let the _traitor_ know that, but don't let _me_ know anything' - but she calmed herself, knowing it was for the best, that the less people who had known the better, not that Harry hadn't been betrayed anyway. It just hurt that she was finding all this out _now_. She knew Ginny was feeling worse, probably wondering how many over missions like this they went that she didn't know about, but she was practically part of Harry and Ron's team, they had _always_ been a team, why should it be different now? She would have to talk to them after about letting her help take down the traitor and ultimately Lexson. Oh she would make him _pay_ for hurting her friend and husband, after making said friend and husband pay for keeping her out of the loop, of course. "-So you don't have to worry about them still wanting to question me"

The kids nodded appreciating the words. Albus winced at the word 'questioning' still unable to get the image of his dad limp and unmoving on a cold stone floor out of his mind.

Harry leant into Ron, whispering,

"I don't like this. I mean just look at Al, he looks traumatised!" Ron glanced over to Albus who was indeed looking sickly pale.

"There's not much left to it. I mean you escape and help us and we've already told them how that's happened." Ron hissed back.

"You're forgetting that you had to go back for me" Harry reminded him.

"Yeah, I still haven't forgiven you for that" Harry rolled his eyes knowing that the whole act of being mad at him was just Ron's way of keeping his mind off of what had happened, a distraction in the form of light hearted playfully banter that had become the friends' favourite coping method over the years.

"Still-" Harry tried again before Hugo piped up hesitantly.

"Are you going to continue?" There was not impatience in his voice, just polite curiosity.

"I'm not sure" Harry replied honestly shooting his second eldest a concerned glance.

"I'm fine, dad" Albus reassured him, meeting his father's gaze drinking in the sight of his eyes, relived that they looked nothing like the dull unresponsive ones he had seen in his mind.

"Besides, you've told us this much, you might as well finish." James jumped in, seeing that his dad was disbelieving his brother's claim. Harry turned his gaze on James and a thought hit him. How must his dad feel reliving all this? Surely he just wanted to forget it, and here he was, dragging it all up again. "Um, that is, unless you don't want to, dad" he added quickly, looking down at his hand's, trying not to smile at the fact his dad was still holding his right one. Harry sighed deeply.

"Just don't get the idea that we're going to tell you about all our missions" The kid's nodded immediately and Ron grumbled,

"I should hope not, some of them are really boring." Upon seeing the kid's disbelieving looks, he continued, "Really! You try staking a place out for eight hours with nothing better to do but play hang-man!" he huffed though smiling slightly as he remembering the Muggle game that Harry had introduced him to when he wouldn't stop complaining. Harry rolled his eyes good naturedly at his friend's fascination with the game. Ron was a lot like his father at times. Harry then grew serious and coughed.

"Can we get this over with?"

"Right, sorry mate. Where were we?" He whispered the last so Harry could only hear him.

"I'd just passed out" he whispered back uncomfortably, subconsciously rubbing his neck where the bruises could still be felt.

"Um, well, I'm pretty much still in the room with the others - _so why don't you take it from when you wake up?"_

* * *

**Please review! I seriously need feedback if this fic is going to progress, (no that isn't a threat, I don't do that, I simply mean to improve it) I hope the formatting is better now. Any anon reviews will be responded to on my profile. And please, _please_ answer my short poll- also on my profile- as it may seriously effect what I update. Things are still pretty slow so bare with me. Love you guys! **


	6. Down the corridor and back again

**A/N Well here is the Sixth chapter. Sorry for the wait but you have to admit it's better than sixth months more or less!**

**This chapter's dedicated to Elless for the awesome feedback and being my 23rd reviewer but mainly being awesome.**

* * *

He was running fast, the wind whistling in his ears, grabbing at his clothes. He could feel the blades of grass tickling his bare feet, cutting at his ankles as he ran, branches and leaves slapping at his face.. He was running out of breath, but on he ran, ducking to avoid a particularly low branch, ever determined. Laughter floated in the air behind him.

"I'm going to get you!" He chanced a glance back and indeed he was being gained upon. He put on a spur of speed, twisting wildly left and right coming to a clearing, only to find someone was already there, waiting for him.

"Got you!" They jumped on him, pinning him down. "Got you! Got you!" they chanted. He looked up at them then up at the sky that was suddenly obscured by a flash of red.

"_Hello love_" she whispered. He gazed into her blazing eyes and smiled.

"Mummy, Mummy!" A girl's voice squealed from on top of him, sitting on his chest. "We got Daddy!"

"Let's tickle him!" A boy's voice declared.

"No!" he cried desperately, but they paid no heed. They tickled him mercilessly; his laughter rang through the forest, tears streaming down his face. The fingers poked at him, stabbing at him, the laughter turned to a scream, long and anguished. Their fingers were like hot knifes, penetrating him, scratching at him, peeling away the skin. The girl squealed with joy, menacing laughter rang through his ears. The girl had a name, he realized. He _knew_ her, knew them, loved them … and now they were killing him.

He jerked awake, breathing fast, icy sweat pouring down his face. It had been years since he had had that dream, only it usually ended in bliss with him turning over to see his wife sleeping next to him. She was not here now though, in this damp, dark room.

He steadied his breathing. Wondering how long he had been out for, he could not tell. He tried to sit up, but gave up as his head began to swim. His whole body ached, his ribs tighter than he remembered. He rolled on to his side, hissing as the pain stabbed at him, trying to remember how he got into this situation. The kind face of Melinda Jones flashed in his mind and he wondered whether she knew her life was hanging on him at the moment. Probably, he conceded, she had accepted him as secret keeper after all, refusing to have another after assuring that he was 'the very best'.

_Did he wish he'd never accepted?_ Partly, but then he wouldn't be doing his duty, now would he? Though what did it matter if he did his duty if he could not see his family again? He pushed the thought aside knowing it was far too complicated to ponder now. He had to concentrate on getting out of there or he wouldn't _have_ a later to agonize over whether he was doing the right thing or not.

He tried to sit up again, this time ignoring the ache that cascaded down his body as though granules of pain were sliding down a tilted hourglass. He succeeded. Encouraged by the small victory, he griped the pick-pocketed wand and muttered, "_Diffindo"_The ropes fell off his wrist, and he sighed with relief, rubbing his sore wrist trying not to irritate the angry marks the ropes had gouged into his skin.

Placing his palms on the frozen stone, he gently lifted himself up until he was standing. He staggered to his left, and lent on to the nearest bit of wall for support. Taking small breaths as not to hurt his ribs, he stepped away from the wall and flicked the wand up and down his body, muttering pain-numbing spells. He knew it would hurt like the devil later, but he did not need the hindrance now.

His head snapped up as the sound of footsteps approached, accompanied by the distant sound of scraping and yelling. The footsteps, estranged from the yelling - somehow separate, as though the yelling was part of another world - were closer. He swiftly ducked into a shadowed corner to the left of the door - and just in time, for the door clunked and clicked, its enchantments falling, and swung open. A man stepped in, somewhat slimmer than his brutish companions.

The man took a step back, startled by the apparent emptiness of the room. He stepped further into the room, looking deep into the corners, his wand drawn. He jumped, startled, as the door snapped closed behind him. Whipping round, he raised his wand; no one was there. Hairs prickled on the back of his neck. He felt a presence behind him; he tensed. A hand covered his mouth, stifling his gasp of horror. He felt breath on his neck, and a chilling voice came from out the darkness,

"_Time to sleep_" And so, he did.

* * *

McDonald had jumped up first, suddenly alert.

"What is it?" Thompson whispered, risking his Captain's displeasure for speaking.

"Footsteps" He whispered back; Ron could now hear them too. _More than one person, by the sounds of it._ He jumped up, Thompson following suit. He knew it was futile to think about fighting back without even a wand but he'd be dammed if he didn't put up some kind of resistance, for he was sure they were coming for them - and he was right. The door flung open with a crash and four men flooded in, obviously trying to rush them, learning from the other encounter, one man in particular's groin was still throbbing and went straight for Ron, remembering how viscously the Auror had attacked him back by the clearing.

"Get off me!" He roared as the goon pinned him against the wall and he brought back his head, ramming it into the goon's forehead. The brute staged back dazed, blood pouring from his nose. Ron turned to help Thompson, who was already on the floor and tied up. He tried to pry the criminal off him, but was struck from behind, his hands soon bound magically. He found himself being hauled up and pushed out the room. A body-bind curse hit him in the back and he felt hard on the floor outside, rigid as a statue. He guessed the one that had had him had gone back to help the others and needed to temporary disable him.

A calm and almost cheery voice floated above him, "Need a hand?"

"Don't just stand there! Help me with him!" A reply was shouted back. Ron heard the shuffling of feet and McDonald cursing passionately. Someone hauled him up, and he felt the body-bind lift - but found that he couldn't struggle, as suddenly he was marching, two goons in front of him, and the rest behind. The three of them were boxed in, being taken Merlin knows where.

"Get a move on" The man growled, and Ron found his pace picking up, unwillingly mirroring the thick-set man in front. The corridor widened, and the man fell. Ron however, kept going, consequently tripping over legs, falling on to the massive man.

Ron was taken aback. What the hell was going on? His bounds were gone, and ever the opportunist, he twisted and pulled the man, who had fallen on him like the next domino in line, off him and leaped up. A wand floated up in front of him and he instinctively grabbed it, turning it on the nearest man to him.

"Stupify!" he bellowed and the man flew into the air in a graceful arc, falling back into the stone wall and slid down it unconscious. Ron swiftly stunned another, before stepping over the body and helping McDonald up. His binds, too, were gone. The Auror grunted in appreciation before turning on the goon behind him, grabbing a wand from the one Ron had stunned, leaving Ron to help Thompson with the others that had finally untangled themselves from the fall.

It was all too easy. The criminals disarmed and stunned, too shocked by the sudden turn of events to react. Ron didn't have time to think how the turn had been made, only one thought screaming at him. He ran. Thompson yelled after him, not understanding where he was going.

"_Harry_!" Ron yelled back by way of explanation and grabbed McDonald. The Auror understanding what they must do ran with him, Thompson hot on their heels.

"_Harry_!" Ron yelled again, hoping to get a response, wanting his friend to know they were coming. A more logical part of his mind told him that he should keep quiet, but his brother-in-laws screams still plagued his mind, so he ran clumsily down the corridor back to where the cells were. They rushed passed theirs, and soon found the other.

Ron cried out: "_Alohamora_!" To his surprise, the cell sprung open and in his panic he didn't think to why that would be. He hurried over to the unconscious man sprawled on the floor and tried to beat down the panic, fearing what condition his friend would be in. He knelt down beside him, McDonald and Thomson keeping a watch outside the cell, and quickly untied him. He rolled him over.

"Come on, mate, be okay, please be okay" He put his head to his chest and sighed in relief at the steady rise and fall that was breathing. He reached up to slap his cheeks into consciousness and froze. The man's scared face was not his friend's scared face. He reached up and brushed his fringe aside. There was no lightning shaped scar there and Ron cursed, for it was not Harry.

He had already escaped.

"Company!" McDonald called from the door way. There was only one man, but enough to remind them of the danger they were still in. Thompson stunned him hastily. Icy dread filled Ron in that instant as the goon fell against the wall and another face who had fallen so similarly flashed in his mind.

"Come on, we need to get Potter" McDonald growled at him, making to go into the cell but Ron stopped him, gripping his shoulder.

"He's not in there."

"What the hell do you mean he's not in there?" Thompson snapped. His blue eyes were wide and wild, fear flickering in them.

"It's not him. I think he's already escaped"

"Good. Let's get out of here then" Relief seeped through his words, chest heaving heavily as exhaustion caught up with him.

"He didn't just leave us you idiot, he's back there-" Ron flung an arm out in the direction they had just ran from "-I bloody stunned him didn't I?" The others gaped at him as the reality of the situation hit them. McDonald recovered first.

"Surely they'll have him now, though?"

"We have to go back" Ron declared turning on his heal, griping his wand tightly.

"No!" McDonald blurted out stopping him in his tracks. Ron wheeled around expecting to see an enemy of some kind but saw none.

"_What?_" he barked. Didn't the idiot understand? Didn't he realize what was at stake here? They had to move, fast. Time was of the essence.

"If we go back now, we may never get out!" He protested furiously and Ron gaped at McDonald, a surge of anger coursing through him. He gripped his wand and subconsciously red sparks flew out. McDonald staggered backwards, nervously eying the wand. Ron opened his mouth to yell at him, 'how can you think of leaving him?', but shook his head. He didn't have time.

"Fine! Y_ou_ go! I'm not leaving him!" Ron turned once more and ran. Hearing footsteps behind him he glanced back to see Thompson a look of determination upon his young face and Ron finally understood why Harry liked him.

"Fine, but if we die in here, I'll kill him!" McDonald growled, jaw set, and ran after them, the three of them racing back the way they'd come to find a colleague, a leader and a friend.

* * *

His head was pounding, blood pumping loudly in his ears. Opening his eyes, a blurred picture greeted him. His hands met cold stone, reminding him of where he was. A flash of light seared through his mind and the determined face of his friend came to him. He groaned aloud as the evens came rushing back to him, watching Ron raise his wand to him, uttering the spell that had sent him flying. He tried to get up, but his muscles refused to move. He heard moaning and grumbling around him and he instantly tensed.

"Are you alright?" Harry glanced up and saw a thick-set man standing above him, swaying slightly himself.

"Those damned Aurors!" Another man out of his sight fumed. "We should have kept them in the cell!"

"They'll never get out" The man above Harry turned round to face his college reassuringly.

"They've gone to get Potter. Merlin _damn_ them! I just hope the commander got whatever he wanted out of them or he's going to be furious!" He continued to rant as other men began to pick themselves of the floor, looking unsure, waiting for orders. Several who had heard the rant shivered and glanced at each other fearfully. Harry wished he could just disappear - what would happen when they figured out who he was? That the one their commander, that they were so scared of, wanted so badly was inches away from them at their feet, unable to move?

One thug inevitably stepped closer to him, his eyes narrowed in concentration. Harry looked down, his fringe flopping over his eyes, covering his traitorous scar. His heart was going like an out-of-control train, bound to be derailed at any second as he willed himself to move, even an inch.

"You know, I don't think I've seen you before. Are you a new recruit?" Harry tried to nod, but found he couldn't. The goon took a step closer and his eyes widened in shock. Harry grasped his wand, ready to force it up, the henchman went rigid, Harry tensed, the goon toppled silently to the side.

Before he could react, there was an eruption of sound around him, banging, shouting, cursing. A beam of scorching bright orange light zoomed pasted him, a scream sounded to the left of him as it found its mark. There was a scuffling, more cursing...BANG!

"Are you going to just bloody sit there or what?" The familiar voice rang through the storm of noise. Someone yanked at his arm, pulling him up. Pain shot through his arm but he ignored it as his eyes found fell upon a haggard-looking, freckled face, grinning at him. "Come on; let's get you out of here!" Ron shouted over the din, hauling one of Harry's arms over his shoulders, but Harry yanked himself away and hastily stunned the goon aiming at Ron's back. Feeling was finally rushing back to him.

"Come on! Let's go!" Harry recognized the voice to be Thompson's - and that, in all fairness, was probably the best plan. Ron stubbornly pulled Harry's arm back over his shoulder as they ran for what seemed to be the one hundredth time down the corridor and to their freedom.

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**Yea, **_**finally**_**. Let me know what you think. Please be nice, it's been a rough week. Annon reviews responded to on my profile. The Poll on my profile is still up but I recon I've got the gist of the results. Huge thanks to everyone for being so patent with me. Love you guys. CWT should be the next updated. **


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